Middle School Theme

What is a theme?

• a topic of a passage

• a unifying idea about life

• the main idea of the selection

• a summary that includes the major plot points

Which of the following could be a theme of a story?

• Friendship

• Friendships can teach you important life long lessons.

• Sonja and Mariel were no longer friends due to a big misunderstanding.

• First Jean forgot to study, then he asked to cheat off his friend's test, the teacher caught them, and Jean received a zero.

Which of the following could be a theme in a story?

• "Fear, you don't own me!”

• Some people are scared of heights.

• Self-esteem is something that is lacking in a lot of preteens.

• You should find your own self worth instead of relying on other people's opinions.

Which of the following quotes supports the theme: Being afraid can prevent us from doing what we are really capable of in life.

• "Due to her fear of public speaking, Anna passed up the opportunity to speak at a national conference.”

• "Sonya stepped back from the edge since she felt a little queasy when she looked down.”

• "Ming's mother, and graphic designer, traded her time with our neighbor, Mr. Phillips, a music teacher, so he could get quality piano lessons.”

• "Joanna smiled and burst out laughing when Chip started dancing in the middle of the crowded store. She loved how is was not scared of making a fool out of himself.”

A boy who had been homeschooled his whole life was thrown into public school unexpectedly and had to get used to a new way of life.

This sentence is most likely an example of a:

• moral

• summary

• theme

• topic

Ethics and Government.

This is most likely an example of a:

• main idea

• summary

• theme

• topic

Your past does not determine the person you can become in the future.

This sentence is most likely an example of:

• main idea

• summary

• theme

• topic

Israel caught the pass and ran towards the end zone like his life depended on it. He dodged and jumped over the opposing players who were coming towards him like heat guided missiles. Israel was 5 yards from the end zone and could see someone coming at him from the side. As the opponent dove towards him, Israel did a front flip into the end zone. He turned towards the score board and what he saw made his heart jump for joy. 21-18. They did it! Not only were they undefeated, they are now state champions. Israel triumphantly lifted the ball above his head. Despite the numerous obstacles he had last season, he had broken all of his school's rushing yards this year. Israel unconsciously rubbed his knee and thought back to the preseason game last year when he blew out his knee, had surgery, and spent months in rehab wondering if he would ever take the field again. He could almost feel the pain he had experienced. There were times he was close to giving up, but he pushed through by visualizing a moment just like this one. His teammates finally made it to the end zone to celebrate with him. As they lifted him up on their shoulders, he smiled out at the crowd cheering for them and held the football up in victory. Which of the following is most likely a theme of the passage?

• You need the support of your family to overcome the challenges.

• You should stay humble and avoid bragging about your accomplishments.

• Through determination and hard work, you can overcome challenges in order to achieve a goal

• Some dreams are unrealistic and should be kept to yourself if you want them to come true at some point in your life.

he island Yvonn lives on forbids anyone from venturing past the reef because of the great danger that lays beyond the self imposed boundary. Stories of these dangers have been past down from generation to generation causing the people of the island to stay in fear of what lays beyond the reef. However, disease is now spreading around the island affecting the crops and resources of her home. Even though she was forbidden by her father, the chief, to go beyond the reef to seek answers and possible solutions to their problems, Yvonn decides to take matters into her own hands. Defying ancient stories, traditions, and her family, Yvonn goes beyond the reef and is able to find the answers needed to save her island. Which of the following is most likely the theme of this passage?

• Family knows best.

• Some boundaries are meant to be broken.

• Living near the ocean can be dangerous for various of reasons

• A girl defies her dad's orders in order to find a solution for her island.

"Mom! Mom! Mom!" Lola yelled with excitement as she burst through the front door. "I got the part! I am the lead in our school's rendition of High school Musical! I can't believe I beat out Makenzie. She has been the lead in every play since 4th grade." Lola could just see herself on stage, under the lights, singing for the packed auditorium. This was her dream come true. "That's great, honey!" Her mom exclaimed as she hugged her tight. Her stepdad, David, gave her a fist bump. Lola handed off all of the information and blathered on about practices, costumes, and cast parties. She noticed her mom no longer had the same energy as before. "Aren't you excited for me, mom?" Lola asked. "Yes, of course. But this paper says the performance is Friday, May 6th," mom commented. "Yeah. So," Lola replied. Her mom sighed, "Honey. That's your dad's wedding. You can't miss it." "What?!" Lola grabbed the paper and then sat down dejectedly on the couch. She knew her mom was right, but she was so disappointed she had to pass up this opportunity. "Fine," Lola replied. "I will let Mrs. Atkins know on Monday. I guess Makenzie will once again be the lead of something." When Lola arrived to school on Monday morning, everyone was congratulating her on the role. It felt good to have all of the attention on her. She decided to at least go to the first practice and see what it felt like to be the lead of something. Well, one practice turned to two, which turned into a week, which led to a month. Lola told her mom she was helping out backstage so she could still be involved, but in actuality, she was continuing with her role as if she would be the one on stage. Lola felt guilty as the weeks ticked by, but she didn't know how to stop this snowball from rolling. Finally, the week before dress rehearsals, Lola pulled Mrs. Atkins aside and told her the truth. To say she was disappointed in how Lola handled the situation was an understatement. "Don't think I will forget this when it is time for auditions next year," Mrs. Adkins said as she walked away. At that moment, Lola knew she threw away any opportunity she had at landing the lead role again. Which of the following is most likely the theme of the passage?

• Even though it's hard, honesty is the best route to take.

• Family will always be there to support you so they should comes first.

• School plays are a great after school activity for students to be involved in.

• Lola landed her dream role and was afraid to tell everyone she could not accept it since she had to be in her dad's wedding.